Retrieval of holographically recorded data

ABSTRACT

A two-step process for retrieving holographically recorded pages of information. In the first step, a low power laser is employed to reconstruct the image stored in a small hologram and to record this image in a small area of recording medium. In the second step, a high power incoherent light source and optical means are employed to derive from the small image an enlarged hard copy.

United States Patent William J. Hannan Pennington, NJ. 767,991

Oct. 16, 1968 May 18, 1971 RCA Corporation lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee RETRIEVAL OF HOLOGRAPHICALLY RECORDED DATA 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

US. Cl 350/35, 355/2, 355/40 Int. Cl G03b 27/10, G03b 27/32 Field of Search 350/35;

14sec I4 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,264,961 8/ I966 Tuttle et al. 355/27X 3,277,776 l0/l966 Harris 355/27X 3,410,203 I 1/1968 Fischbeck 350/3.5UX

Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Robert L. Sherman Attorney-H. Christofiersen ABSTRACT: A two-step process for retrieving holographically recorded pages of information. In the first step, a low power laser is employed to reconstruct the image stored in a small hologram and to record this imagein a small area of recording medium. In the second step, a high power incoherent light source'and optical means are employed to derive from the small image an enlarged hard copy.

mean/2w 'P'ATENTED m1 819?! 1075!! ran lllllliam J. Harman RETRIEVAL OF I-IOLOGRAPHICALLY RECORDED DATA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Holographic recording for data storage and retrieval has a number of inherent advantages. To start with, a tremendous amount of information can be stored in a very small space. For example, 500 pages, each the size of a page in a technical journal such as the Proceedings of the IEEE, easily can be stored on a single sheet about the size of a post card, as 500 holograms, each occupying only several square millimeters. In addition, this information can be recorded with a high degree of redundancy, enabling the holograms to be scratched, spotted with dirt and otherwise mutilated without serious loss of information. Other advantages include the ability to employ, as the storage medium, a plastic such as vinyl, and to press phase holograms into the vinyl, employing the same low cost techniques as are used to replicate hi-fi phonograph records and so on.

While the direct optical read out of holograms provides clear images, most people prefer to read hard copy. This may be due to the fact that the average person is accustomed to reading books and newspapers but, even if this were not so, there would be many situations in which hard copy would be preferred to the temporary image produced by an optical reader.

It would appear, on first consideration, that hard copy could be produced from a hologram simply by projecting the reconstructed holographic image on a suitable photosensitive medium as, for example, is suggested in US. Pat. No. 2,982, l 76, issued May 2, l961 to Kay. Unfortunately, this is not a practical approach.

The reconstruction of the image stored as a hologram requires a coherent light source such as a laser. A laser in a price class sufficiently attractive that-it is suitable for use in a practical system may have an output of only 2 milliwatts. If a hologram is read out by such a laser and a reasonable size image, say 25 centimeters X 20 centimeters, is projected onto a photosensitive paper, the power density on the paper isonly 4Xl0'watts per square centimeter. The energy needed to expose the most sensitive low-cost paper such as 3M Brand Dry- Silver paper is 4X10 joules per square centimeter. This means that the exposure time required would be of the order of 1X seconds per exposure which, of course, is much' too long for any practical system.

The exposure time could be shortened, of course, by using a more powerful laser. But achieving practical exposure times with this approach would require a laser so powerful that it would be prohibitively expensive for most applications. Another approach is to employ more sensitive photographic paper. However, there is no paper known which is sufficiently sensitive to reduce the exposure time to a matter of seconds. And even if there were, the high cost of such special paper would make the system too expensive to be practical.

The object of the present invention is to provide a practical system for retrieving information stored holographically, that is, a system of relatively low cost and relatively high speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, information is stored as holograms of relatively small size. A hologram selected for read out is illuminated by a low power laser and the reconstructed image thereby obtained is recorded on a relatively small area of recording medium so that the power density at recording medium is relatively high. After undergoing the development process, which may be a simple heating operation for dry-silver material, the recorded image is illuminated by a relatively high-power incoherent light source and a magnified image is projected onto a recording medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FIGURE is a schematic showing of a preferred form of the invention.

In the system of the invention, several hundred holograms are stored on the storage medium 10. For purposes of the presentexplanation, the storage medium 10 is assumed to be opaque and the reconstructed image formed by reflected light. However, it is to be understood that the invention is equally suitable for use with a transparent storage medium 10 in which case the images may be reconstructed by projecting light through the film. Each hologram may occupy a very small area such as 2 millimeters X 2 millimeters and may, for example, represent a page of a book or the like.

The film 12 is preferably made of Dry-Silver or similar material that can be heat developed. It may be driven by a drive system, not shown. The film 12 passes over a roller 14 and into a heater 16. The purpose of the latter is to develop An incoherent light source 17 and optical system illustrated by the single lens 18, applies light at a relatively high power level to the film. An optical system illustrated by the single lens 20 projects an enlarged image derived from the film 12 onto a sheet of photosensitive paper 22.

In the operation of the system of the invention, a coherent light source, such as laser 24, produces light at a wavelength suitable for reconstructing a hologram image. The beam of light is deflected by the deflector 26 to a hologram of interest, shown as a darkened area 28 for purposes of the present description. The deflector 26 may be mechanical or electronic in nature, both types being well known in the art.

The film 12 is so located that the reconstructed image produced when a hologram is illuminated is projected onto the film as indicated by the square 30 within the dashed lines. This square may be 6 millimeters X 6 millimeters, a relatively small area. It is to be understood that regardless of the location of the hologram on the storage medium 10, it will be projected onto the same location of the film, provided that the storage medium is initially prepared in the manner described, for example, in Hologram Memory System, application Ser. No. 515,531, filed Dec. 22, 1965 (now abandoned) by R. S. Mezrich, et al. and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

After a relatively short exposure time, the laser may be turned off and the film advanced. The laser then may be turned on again with the beam deflected to another location to reconstruct the image of another hologram on the film 12. The process may be repeated for as many pages of hard copy as are needed.

The reconstructed images on the film, in due course, pass into the heater 16 where they are developed and fixed. Thereafter, the fixed image passes beneath the incoherent light source 17 and lens 18 where each image is illuminated by the relatively high-power incoherent light source. The enlarged image produced by the optical system 20 is projected onto a relatively large area of photosensitive paper as, for example, an area of 25 centimeters X 20 centimeters. The paper then may be developed and fixed in conventional manner to produce the enlarged hard copy.

The power required to produce the 6 millimeter X 6 millimeter image is relatively low and the exposure time is relatively short. Using the same example as in the introductory portion of this application, assume the laser output power to be 2 milliwatts. This provides a power density of about 5X10 watts per square centimeter on the film 12. This is more than a thousand times higher than the power density which would be possible if the laser were employed to produce a 25X20 centimeters image directly. The exposure time required for the 6 millimeters X 6 millimeters image is less than 1 second.

The cost for making 6 millimeters X 6 millimeters photographs is very low. At the present time, a 200 foot roll of 16 millimeter dry-silver film costs less than $6.00. Accordingly, a 6 millimeter X 6 millimeter section of this film the size of the hologram image in the above example, costs only about 0.02 cents. An incoherent light source 17 for enlarging the 6 millimeters X 6 millimeters negative and exposing the photosensithe film 12 is preferably moved intermittently. During the time the film is stationary, the enlargement is made at 22 and a new image is recorded at 30. Or, a film loop can be introduced to permit nonsynchronous operation.

I claim: I

1. A method of storing and retrieving data comprising the steps of:

storing the data in the form of holograms of relatively small size;

illuminating one of said holograms with a coherent light source at a relatively low level of power to reconstruct the holographic image stored therein;

recording said reconstructed image on a relatively small area of a recording medium;

illuminating said recorded image with an incoherent light source at a relatively high level of power; and

magnifying said illuminated image and projecting said rnagnified image onto a relatively large area of recording medium.

2. In the method set forth in claim 1, the recording of said reconstructed image requiring an interval of not greater than several seconds.

3. In the method set forth in claim 1, the illumination of said hologram being performed with a coherent source having a power of not more than a fraction of a watt. 

1. A method of storing and retrieving data comprising the steps of: storing the data in the form of holograms of relatively small size; illuminating one of said holograms with a coherent light source at a relatively low level of power to reconstruct the holographic image stored therein; recording said reconstructed image on a relatively small area of a recording medium; illuminating said recorded image with an incoherent light source at a relatively high level of power; and magnifying said illuminated image and projecting said magnified image onto a relatively large area of recording medium.
 2. In the method set forth in claim 1, the recording of said reconstructed image requiring an interval of not greater than several seconds.
 3. In the method set forth in claim 1, the illumination of said hologram being performed with a coherent source having a power of not more than a fraction of a watt. 